Portable electric light.



UNITED STATES; PATENT- OFFICE.

HARRY no'rnnnsnno, ormncnwoon, nnwronx, As'sIoNon T0 11mm! HYMAN & 00., mo, or new YORK, n. Y a CORPORATION or n'nwronx.

--ronrAB E ELECTRIC LIGHT.

Specification of Letters Ya tent. Pa,tented D'c. 31, 1918.

jApplication filed Kay 29, 1916. Serial ms. 100,510.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY RorHnNBnRG,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ridgewood, in the countyof Queens and State ofN'eW York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Electric Lights, of which the following is a specification. I

The invention pertains more particularly to the character of electric'flash lights to be held in the hand and lighted, as occasion may requiraby the manual movement of a slide applied upon the exterior casing of the device. w

My invention pertains more particularly to novel means for completing the circuit between the lamp and battery. The flash light of my invention comprises an exterior metal casing, a plural cell battery contained metal plate in constant engagement withsaid pole of the battery and on its other side a plate, preferably in the form of a leafspring, iii-constant engagement with one terminal of the bulb,-and a circuit making and breaking switch connected with a manually operative. slide on the exterior of the main casing and adapted, when moved in one direction, to electrically connect the two "plates carried by said insulating disk, so as to complete the circuit and to break the circui t between said plates when moved in the other direction, thereby extinguishing the lamp.

The novel features of my invention pertain more particularly to the insulating disk carrying the conducting plates, and the switch for making, and breaking the circuit at said plates.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying-drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section, with the wrapping on the battery partly broken away, of a portable flash light embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is 'atra'nsverse section through the same taken on the dotted line 2-2 of Fig. '1; Fig. 3 is a like section through the same taken on the dotted line 3-3 of-Fig; 1'; Fig. 4 is a transverse section through a a portion of the same taken on the dotted line 4l 4o:fFig.-1; I

Fig. 5 is acentralverticalsectionthrough the switch and features connected therewith, detached from the casing, and

Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of the insulating disk carrying conducting plates on its opposite sides.

In the drawings 10 designates a tubular metal casing having a closing cap 11 at its lower end and at its other end a lens 12, reflector 13, and electric lamp-14, the lens and reflector being connected with the casing 10 by means of a threaded band 15,,a's usual, andthe reflector 13 having a. threaded inner sleeve ortion 16 to receive the threaded body 0 the lamp 14, in the customary mannor. One terminal of the lamp is in electrical connection with the reflector 13.

Within the casing 10. is placed a plural cellbattery 17 having a wrapping 18 of insulating material. Within the lower end of the casing 10 and hem in electrical connectiontherewith, is co ned a coiled spring 19 which is in, constant engagement with the negative pole of the battery 17 and acts to press the battery in a direction toward the outer end of the casing 10.

Within the casing ;10, intermediate the positive pole 20 of the battery and the lower terminal 21 of the 1am ,isjsecured a transverse disk 22 of ins ating material, said disk being seated on an annularshoulder 23 formed by grooving'the casing 10 inwardly. The disk 22 has secured on its lower side a conducting plate 24: by means of a rivet 25 which does notextend, preferably, through i the upper surface of thedisk, and said plate 24, which is in the form of a strip of metal, extends laterally and then. is bent upwardly, forming an upwardly extending arm 26, said arm being within a recess 27 cut in the edge of the disk 22.- The plate 24 is in constant electrical connection with the positive pole 20 of the battery, but normall is not in electrical connection with. any ot er feature of thedevice. Upon the upper side. of the disk 22 [is secured a plate 28 which I preferably form of spring metal and of the outline illustrated in Fig. 1, said plate being secured at one end portionto the disk"22 and then folded 'oi're'""ii'p'ongitself" eat spring member or arm 29;which 1 engaged by the lower terminal 21 of the lamp, and

I the spring arm 29 because the'flexible nature constitutes a conductor in electrical cfdnnec tion with said terminal. I prefer to employ of the arm permits the lamp to be normally screwed against it without straining the 5 lamp or the'sler'eve; 1b, and-the flexibilitywof said arm 29'" also assuresefiicient electrical engagement between ;itself'and the terminal 21 of the lamp. :The plate 28 is secured to the disk 22-h means ,of aneyelet rivet, as. shown in Fig l and is normally not in ,elec

t-rical connection with the plate 24 carried at the opposite-side of the disk 22. 1

The switchior making and breaking the circuit is connected with-a slidefl3Q mounted on the exterior-of the casing 10 andadapted 9 to be moved.--manually.-=' The sWitch proper adjacent portion consists of a short metal' 'plate- 31; secured I to a stripof insulating. material 32-and hav ing its upper-end hent downwardly and then upwardly or intoapproximately 'V-- outline, as at 33';- The bodyof-the switch 31 is insulated from the.casing-v 10 by a supplemental stripof insulatingv-material '34:,

which is interposed between "the-body-ofth'e switchr3l-and the inner wallof the casing 10. The lower portions of '1 the insulating strips 32, 34-hayesecuredibetween them a.

metal strip 35 which, fis l spacedi fat its upper end from the lbwcr end if? theswitch'31 and connectedhy eyeletriyets 3 6 with the end portions of the slide 30: 1 ,The casing 10 is formed with slots 37 through-which the-rivets 36 extend and,which permit said rivets to have a .slidingmovement-under the ac-- tuation of the slide 30. The swi ch 3 1-, -insulating strips 32;.3l, and metal st '."ip 35 are all: within the casing 10 and connected to gether andto the slide 30, whichis onlthe exterior -of t;he casingr W henthe slide 30 is moved toward?th;e outerend .of the light,

it will pushtthe pa rtsconnected with the switch 31= in an outward dir ectionior to the position shown an} thereibeing" no circuit throughithe; lampllwhen sa ijd switch isin that positiolii -"Qwhenthe slide 30 is moved. in an opposite.direction or'towardthe handle nd oi Ethe light, the, .,V -m=e1nber 33 of the isparmed ardlylagainst;

he liesits a a terat 2 and the bent plate 28 and at,

such time; t

nla stb i nigmtt gai rm 1 WWI Q,

I $1,,Wh to breakthe circu 1; v p U in ew-War dl,r.v. ti h j ga t h movement of the switch-member 33 from 1 e gapbetweenthe t 2. 2-18 and I,

ghi the" unit-th engagement with the plates 24 28. When the"switch-member 33 is in circuit-making position the 'ci'rcuitwill be from the negative p gle of the battery through the spring 19, {casing 10 andrefle'ctor 13. to one terminal of thelamp 14 and from thepositive' pole of the battery through the plate 24, switch 31 and plate .28 to the other terminal of the lamp 14;.

I illustrate the preferred means for carrying out my invention withoutintending to limit myself to the specific details thereoi.

the appended claims may re- I further than quire. What I claim as my' inventionand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: a 1

" 1. In a portable electric light,. a casing ,ofthe'batt-ery and the base of the lamp and containing a battery and having at oneend an electriclamp bulb; and lens, an iIisulat- 'ing member intermediate the positive pole having-a conductor on its lower face in enand aslide "connected thereto within said casing-said thumb piece and slide being insulated-from said second conductor. a

t 2. In a portable'electric light containing switch comprising an exposed thumb piece a battery and having at one end an elec-' r tric lamp bulb and lens, an insulatingmer'nber intermediatethe positive pole of the battery and one terminal of the lamp and ha'vmg on its lower. face a-cond'uctor in engage- .ment with sa'idpole of the battery and on its other face a conductor in. engagement 7' with said terminal of the-lampyand a switch i mounted on QtheH-general casing adapted 1 when moyedin one direction to connect said conductors andfwhen moved in an opposite [direction to disconnect the same and break the C1I'Cl1lt,' tll 5 negative pole of ,the battery being in electrical connection with the lamp,

and said switch comprisin' 'aslide withinsaid casing,- an exposed t umb iece connected 'w1th said slide and a; conducting member connected with said slide and in casing ofthe lightand having an inwardly 'extendingf arm adapted to span the space ductors.

on of acasing, a battery. and a lamp erein, means connecting the base of the attery with the outer terminal of the sulated therefrom-and from the general between the adj acent portions of: said con a. 211i. afibatteryihand amp, the amuse menace and switch mechanism for connecting the upper terminal of the battery with the inner terminal of the lamp, said mechanism including contact members connected, respec tively, with the inner lamp terminal :1 nd the upper battery terminal, a contactblade, movable Within said casing and longitudinally thereof, into and out of engagement with said contact members to make or break electrical connection between said battery and said lamp, and a sliding thumb-piece conveniently positioned onsaid casing and operatively connected to move said blade.

4. In a battery hand lamp, the combination of a tubular casing, a metal cap secured to one end of said casing and carrying a contact spring, a collar secured to the other end of said casing, a lens and a reflector held in position by said collar, a lamp within said reflector, means for maintaining electrical connection between said contact spring and one terminal of said lamp, a battery Within said casing with its bottom contacting with said contact spring, a switch mechanism for connecting the inner terminal of said lamp with the upper battery terminal, said mechanism comprising an insulating base, a pair of contact members spaced apart and mounted on said base, and

7 said lamp.

5. In a battery hand lamp, the combination of a tubular casing, a battery and a lamp therein, means connecting one pole of the battery with the outer terminal of the lamp, and circuit controlling-means for connecting the other pole of the battery with the inner terminal of said lamp, said circuit-controlling means comprising contact members connected respectively with the inner lamp terminal and the adjacent battery pole and spaced apart, a conductor movable to bridge said space When the lamp is to be lighted, and a'thumb-piece mounted to slide longitudinally of said casing and operatively connected to actuate said conductor.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 27th. day of May, A. l). 1916.

HARRY ROTHENBERG.

lVitnesses ARTHUR Minion,

CHAs. C. GILL. 

